Thoughts on Leadership: Lessons from Damar Hamlin

By Gino Blefari:

This week my travels find me starting Monday with an early morning Berkshire Hathaway Energy call followed by seven WIG calls. On Tuesday, I traveled to Dallas for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Sales Convention 2023 video shoots and speech coaching, which continued into Wednesday. Also on Tuesday, the Swanepoel Power 200 list was released.  Congratulations to all the extraordinary leaders who were recognized on the list this year!

Today, I’m home and I have one incredible leadership story on my mind: Damar Hamlin.

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On January 2, as football fans watched the Buffalo Bills play the Cincinnati Bengals, 24-year-old Bills safety Hamlin tackled Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins during the final moments of the first quarter. An ESPN correspondent broadcasting the game described what happened next: “[Hamlin] made a hit, he got up, took a couple of steps and then just fell to the ground.” 

The response was immediate. First, the players knelt over Hamlin, aware he was in serious distress even before ESPN could identify the player who had collapsed on the field. The first wave of first responders came from the Bills sideline. According to the NFL’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills, when a player is injured, doctors and trainers from that player’s team will be the first to get to the athlete.

“If they get out on the field and they sense that this is a significant emergency, then they will give a hand signal in addition to the radio signal,” Sill explained. “It’s basically an all-call, meaning everyone come.”

During that Monday night game, everyone came, including the code leader, who is responsible for taking charge in an emergency. Sills continued to explain the medical response protocol: “If there is a cardiac arrest, who’s going to lead?” he said. “Who’s going to be the captain of the ship in that moment to make determinations, decisions about various aspects of the resuscitation?”

In the NFL, those leadership questions are critical; the answers could be the difference between life and death. It’s why the choreography of emergency response is planned before every NFL game, from preseason games to the Super Bowl.

Before kickoff, a 60-minute meeting of medical personnel takes place where the emergency action plan is reviewed, discussed and committed to, and most importantly a code leader (the person in charge should a medical emergency occur) is acknowledged by the medical team – you could almost call it an NFL-style emergency response WIG meeting. This code leader acknowledgement is fairly new to NFL protocol but vital to the success of any emergency medical operation; with a code leader established prior to every game, there is absolutely no question who will lead in a crisis.

That pivotal change potentially saved Hamlin’s life and gave him a fighting chance to live.

And fight he did, and continues to do, with the support of the entire NFL – and the world – on his side. Another leadership lesson from this story is how quickly everyone came together, no matter what team they played for, what team they rooted for, or even whether they watched football at all. Everyone sent their good vibes for Hamlin to make a speedy recovery.

Following Hamlin’s cardiac arrest, the safety received an outpouring of support. People who didn’t normally post about football were wishing him well on social media and routinely checking for updates on his condition. All 32 NFL teams changed their Twitter profile photos to say “Pray for Hamlin” with his number 3 Bills jersey. Hamlin’s Chasing M’s Foundation Community To Drive, which had a goal of $2,500 in donations, raised $8.7 million from more than 245,900 donations (and counting) that came from around the world.

During Week 18 games, all 32 NFL teams had a pregame moment of support for Hamlin. They also had an outline of “3” (Damar’s number) in each 30-yard line number on the field in either Buffalo Bills Red or Buffalo Bills Blue. Pregame warmup shirts had “Love for Damar 3” written on them, and the Buffalo Bills wore “3” jersey patches.

Then, after about nine days spent in two hospitals, Hamlin was discharged from Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute. According to ESPN, doctors said they were “ecstatic” about his quick recovery, and Hamlin himself recently tweeted he was “grateful for the awesome care” he received. It’s amazing – and characteristic of a solid leader – to see Hamlin leaning into gratitude during such a challenging time.

So, what’s the message? Dorrian Glenn, Hamlin’s uncle, delivered a powerful statement about the recovery. “A lot of people don’t see how much they’re loved when they’re alive,” he said. “To see that he has a chance to eventually recover and see all the love he’s gotten … it’s gonna mean a lot to him.”

We’re experiencing that now, as Damar recovers and gives us an incredible leadership lesson about gratitude and coming together as human beings for a cause bigger than ourselves. No matter what business we’re in or what team we root for, we are always stronger together.

Thoughts on Leadership: The Value of Meeting

By Gino Blefari

This week my travels find me in Hawaii, attending a wedding and recharging.

Today I’m writing this post to you as I look out my hotel window at the wind-churned Pacific Ocean, and the waves meeting the sand reminds me about the value of meeting people face to face – our Thoughts on Leadership topic for today.

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In-person meetings serve so many purposes. They:

  • Strengthen connections
  • Allow you to learn information as it’s being delivered live
  • Provide opportunities to spend time with your peers
  • … and so much more.

It’s why we put on the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Sales Convention each year. It’s why we organize the HomeServices Stronger Together conference annually. It’s why at industry events you’ll always find the top-of-the-top because they understand the importance of meeting for their personal and professional growth.

Steve Jobs, whose iPad, iPod, iPhone and iEverything provided the foundation for today’s hyper-digital connectivity, once said: “There’s a temptation in our networked age to think that ideas can be developed by email and iChat. That’s crazy. Creativity comes from spontaneous meetings, from random discussions.”

This concept actually reminds me of our daily accountability calls – many times in talking to my accountability partner toward the end of the conversation is when the ideas truly get spurred.

In person, you are privy to side conversations and comments, body language and real time feedback that creates an environment ripe for idea-generation.

How many times have you been at a conference and, while grabbing a quick coffee, bumped into someone you haven’t seen in years? You chat, you exchange contact information, and that person delivers a random nugget of knowledge that then helps you in your next deal, or casually mentions a referral they’d like to send your way … business is not only about structure and systems, but also about spontaneity and serendipity working together to create the alchemy of success.

Another benefit of in-person meetings is the sheer energy in the room. It makes you feel part of something larger than yourself. As we said many, many times during our HomeServices annual top-performer’s event: You are amazing when you’re apart, but WE are STRONGER TOGETHER.

Legendary football coach Vince Lombardi once said: “Individual commitment to a group effort: That is what makes a team work, a society work, a civilization work.” And my mentor Jim Rohn said: “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

Put these two concepts together and you can see why spending time with tens or hundreds of like-minded individuals will perpetuate the kind of continual improvement necessary for high achievement.

Further, when you’re in person, you can exhibit all the positive signs of someone willing and ready to connect. You can be friendly, maintain eye contact and project an optimistic self-image. Don’t forget to smile! Smiling is free and helps form an instant connection. While smiling sends a clear message about your upbeat state of mind, not smiling can be interpreted negatively as grumpiness, aloofness, or anger. And nobody wants to do business with a grump … or given the upcoming holiday season … a grinch!

So, what’s the message? Remember: Ideas flow where people go, and learning from others’ experience, skill and expertise is what growing together is all about.

Thoughts on Leadership: Leading Like a Dog

By Gino Blefari

This week my travels find me starting on Sunday with a flight to Orange County to attend the Mike Ferry Management Retreat in Huntington Beach taking place on Monday and Tuesday. On Monday I also conducted my regular WIG calls and on Tuesday, I participated in the Berkshire Hathaway Energy call. On Tuesday afternoon, I met with the team to help plan the upcoming HomeServices of America top performer’s event. On Wednesday I had morning meetings in San Diego then flew home to Northern California in the afternoon. Today, I worked from home as I had a solar panel installed in my home in Los Altos. (Sustainability is key!)

For today’s post, I want to talk about dogs. Well, people really, but first, let’s talk about dogs. According to the latest survey from the American Pet Products Association, pet ownership in the U.S. rose to an all-time high – 70% of U.S. households – in 2020. Why? Because pets are the perfect companions. No matter if we’ve been away from them for five minutes, five hours or five days, they’re exuberantly excited to greet us.

But for me, it’s not just pets, it’s dogs that are the greatest pals we could ask for. One of the best feelings is coming home from a trip, pulling up to the front door in my Uber, and seeing my dog, Kona, through the window, wagging her tail as I walk up to the house and step inside.

It makes you feel so good, doesn’t it? You just feel so loved by this animal in front of you that your heart could almost burst from the joy of it all. That kind of enthusiasm got me thinking about one of my mentors, Bob Moles, who has the same ability to make you feel welcomed and happy every time he sees you. It’s why I believe one of the rarest but most incredible qualities of a leader is their ability to be like a dog.

I met Bob when I was in the third grade (we played little league together and his dad was our coach), so it’s remarkable that we ended up working together and that he played a defining role in my real estate career. They say you are the sum of everyone you meet, and I have truly been blessed to have met Bob when I did because our fortuitous friendship shaped the entirety of my professional life.

Bob was one of my earliest mentors and he gave me a great deal of confidence in my career. As a coach and a mentor, he had confidence in me, and we all know when your coach believes in you unequivocally, you tend to believe in yourself, too.

Let’s travel back to 1988 and recall a story that perfectly encapsulates Bob’s influence on my life. At the time, I had just become manager of a Contempo Realty office – Bob was president of Contempo Realty and his father was the chairman. I was a hard-charging manager, making all sorts of changes that I felt would have a positive impact on the culture, productivity, and profitability of the office. I got a new copy machine. I extended the office hours and announced the office would be open on Saturdays and Sundays, with a receptionist ready to greet prospective clients. I changed the way we were answering the phone. I changed the way we greeted people. I required attendance at office meetings. I established a dress code for the gentlemen to wear a tie and crisp, white shirts. Mediocrity or stagnation was not tolerated. Excellence was expected.


And while the changes were created with improving the office environment and experience in mind, change can be a tricky thing. Most people don’t like it. As you might suspect, the office was up in arms about this new manager who was making all these changes to how things used to be.

The office was so upset about the changes, they all got together and arranged a lunch with Bob Moles to explain their agitation with my new style of management. After the lunch was over, I went to Bob and asked him how it went. He said, “Well, they had some issues with your management style.”

I replied: “So, what should I do?”

Bob responded, “I don’t care if you need to change out every single agent in that office. You are the leader and I trust you’ll do a great job.”

It was that kind of support that gave me the confidence I needed to  know my decisions were solid. If a leader like Bob believed in me, I knew I could believe in myself. In fact, if I was ever having a tough day or a problem I couldn’t solve, I’d give Bob a call and immediately that problem seemed fixable or that tough day got brighter. It reminded me about what I later learned from Og Mandino, author of the bestselling book, The Greatest Salesman in the World  . Og said pain is like having a pebble in your shoe; it seems so harsh at the time, but you are surprised when you remove your shoe and find only a grain of sand.

When we sold Contempo Realty and Bob became the president of Century 21, I stayed on as the president of Contempo. I called him every single day for the next seven years at 6:30 in the morning to get his advice. His counsel was that important to me and my leadership journey.

I can still remember we’d have these monthly all-company meetings at Contempo and whenever I came into the room, Bob would be waiting to shake my hand and greet me like I was the only person there. I went on to observe him do the very same thing to every team member who joined the meeting. It made them feel special, the kind of special you experience when you walk through the door and are greeted by your beloved dog. The kind of special I feel every time I step out of the car and see Kona’s tail go crazy at the very sight of me. It’s why I say, a leader who can have that dog-like enthusiasm is a special kind of leader to admire and revere.

Bill Clinton was famous for possessing this kind of charisma. In a 2014 article, Fast Company,reporter Stephanie Vozza noted that Bill Clinton has “legendary focus and can make anyone feel like the most important person in the room.”

Clinton’s political arch-nemesis, Newt Gingrich, even commented on this distinct ability, describing the former President as “one of the most charming and effective people I’ve ever negotiated with.”

So, what’s the message? On the opposite end of this happiness spectrum, when you ignore someone, or when you make them feel small, it’s one of the most awful emotions anyone can experience. But if you can uplift them –  if, like Bob Moles, Bill Clinton and my sweet dog, Kona, you can focus on how happy you are just to see them step in your direction – then you’ve got a truly special ability to connect with your team in a way not many people can. To this day, Bob is one of the few people who regularly gets together with his high school friends; and if you stop by his house, he always makes you feel welcome. It’s not often I say leadership is for the dogs but in this one instance, it absolutely is.

P.S. If you’re reading this on Friday, it’s Bob Moles’ birthday. Happy birthday, Bob, and thanks for inspiring me all these years.

Thoughts on Leadership: Leading with Rituals

By Gino Blefari

This week my travels found me in Denver, Colorado at the Mavericks Meeting hosted by Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Innovative Real Estate CEO Scott Nordby and his team.

The Mavericks Meetings are regular gatherings with a small, think-tank group of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices independently owned and operated franchise CEOs. We meet every six months to exchange ideas and brainstorm. Each meeting is hosted by a different company; this one was hosted by our fantastic brokerage in Denver.

In a sense, the Mavericks Meeting is a twice-yearly ritual. Together, we reignite our collective purpose: to help each other grow.

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THOUGHTS ON LEADERSHIP: MENTAL MARKETING FOR SUCCESS

By Gino Blefari

This week my travels found me once again at home, starting the week with my typical WIG calls with our HomeServices of America leaders. On Tuesday, I attended the weekly Berkshire Hathaway Energy Presidents Meeting and on Wednesday, I began the day with Long & Foster’s senior leadership meeting, where I presented 4DX Tune-Up. Throughout the week, I hosted nine succession planning calls and this morning, I sat down to write down my leadership thoughts for you.

Marketing is an incredibly influential asset to any business. It can create sales, increase brand awareness and trust, foster deeper connections between a team, and show prospective customers why your service is so valuable to them.

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How to Hold a Successful Open House (And Generate Leads While Doing It)

By Dallas Eichers

Everyone seems to be looking for a magic wand to generate leads. Wave your wand once and buyers and sellers are delivered right to your office door. Of course, there’s no such thing and lead generation programs offer the next-best solution, though not all programs are effective and some are too expensive to be worthwhile. Don’t get me wrong: There are agents who are wildly successful using lead-generation programs but the majority of real estate professionals tend to throw money at systems with few results.

What’s an agent to do when looking to generate new leads and meet new people? The answer is simple: Hold open houses!

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Real Estate Agents: How to Market to First-time Home Buyers

By Darrin Rayner

As more and more home buyers of the millennial generation reach buying age (they’re soon expected to pass Boomers in total population), your marketing efforts toward first-time home buyers become more and more important.

According to the Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends Report 2016 produced by the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), first-time home buyers are most likely:

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Five Tips for Great Ratings and Reviews

By Tiffany Curry

You’ve seen them everywhere and if you’re like most people, you hide from them. You shut off your computer; you put down your phone. What am I talking about? Online customer reviews.

More than ever, consumers are searching online for competent service providers and the largest investment of their lives—a home—is no exception. With the rise in popularity of online searches comes the sometimes-dreaded online reviews.

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Augmented Reality in Real Estate

By Kyle Rank

Watch this video to discover how real estate professionals are using augmented reality to enhance the home buying experience!

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10 Reasons It’s Time to Revive Direct Mail Campaigns

By Xpressdocs

Has it been years since you were actively executing direct mail campaigns? You’re not alone. Many businesses made the switch to digital marketing campaigns years ago with the hopes of reaching larger target markets at a reduced cost. Some were able to achieve their goals from internet marketing alone. Yet most have not been able to achieve the results they expected from exclusively advertising on the web.

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